Composer/conductor James Blachly, associate editor of African Diaspora Music Project (ADMP) database, Grammy-winning mastermind behind the 2020 Chandos Recording of Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Prison , has extended his contract as music director … » Read

Mounting a new production of the complete Ring cycle is a massive undertaking in the best of times. These are hardly the best of times, so it came as no surprise when Opera Australia (OA) announced today that it was once more postponing the … » Read

Classical:NEXT, the self-proclaimed “largest global gathering of professionals for all sectors of classical and art music,” said to attract up to 1,000 attendees, has been cancelled. Scheduled to take place September 27-30 in … » Read

Age can be liberating. Witness a “no-holds-barred”  interview Riccardo Muti gave to Aldo Cazzullo of the Milan daily Corriere della Sera right before his 80 th birthday. In an extended report, the maestro weighs in on a range of … » Read

To the editor: I read last week’s glowing review of the Tanglewood concert conducted by Karina Canellakis. I appreciated the detail that the reviewer, Leslie Kandell, included in the article, but I was hoping to learn what outfit Yo-Yo Ma … » Read

As the Delta variant numbers continue to rise, and the 2021-22 season approaches, an increasing number of presenters  are updating their safety policies, most in alignment with local and state regulations. The Ojai Festival, most of which … » Read

Spencer Rubin, a 17-year-old oboist from Long Island, is intent on showing Gen Z-ers that classical music is cool. “One of the main ways to keep classical music alive is to just keep people talking about it, and so if we can do that through … » Read

Accusations of sexual abuse are following James Levine to the grave. A lawsuit filed Aug. 13 on behalf of an anonymous plaintiff is seeking $25mn from the disgraced conductor’s estate and from the Metropolitan Opera, where he was music … » Read

For over two decades, German bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff was arguably the world’s greatest lieder singer. And then in 2012, at the height of his powers, he announced his retirement while in his early 50s. “Three days after being … » Read

HOLLYWOOD—“Enjoy the show,” the announcer said at curtain time Sunday night (Aug. 15) at The Ford, a cozy amphitheater tucked in the hills just across the Cahuenga Pass from Hollywood Bowl. I’m not sure, though, that … » Read